Jofra Archer is “on course” to be fit for England’s 50-over World Cup defence in October, according to Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace.
The 28-year-old fast bowler burst onto the scene to star as England triumphed on home soil four years ago, before playing a key role in the Ashes series that summer.
But injuries have plagued the Sussex bowler since, undergoing several bouts of surgery on his elbow, as well as a stress fracture of the back which derailed his planned comeback last year.
Archer made his first tentative steps towards full recovery earlier this year, featuring in England’s limited-overs tours to South Africa and Bangladesh, before he had to cut short his spell with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
He was subsequently ruled out of this summer’s Ashes series back in May due to another stress fracture in his right elbow, but Farbrace says he is making progress as he bids to make the England squad for the tournament in India.
“He’s going well. I think he is on course for the World Cup which is fantastic news,” Farbrace told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He is going nicely. I think England will need to work out how to get the best out of him over the next few years if he is to go to that next Ashes series.”
Stokes at the World Cup? ‘I’m retired – I want to get my knee sorted’
Ben Stokes has insisted he remains retired from one-day international cricket and that he wants to use the time between the end of the Ashes and January’s Test tour of India to sort his chronic knee problem.
England’s 50-over World Cup title defence takes place in India in October and November and they look set to be without Stokes – Player of the Match in the 2019 final against New Zealand – after he quit ODIs last year citing the demands of the international calendar.
England do not have a Test match between this week’s Ashes finale at The Kia Oval and the series opener against India in Hyderabad in the final week of January, with Stokes hoping to use the near six-month break to fix the knee problem that has restricted his ability to bowl of late.
“I am retired,” Stokes told reporters when asked whether he could play at this autumn’s World Cup.
“[My knee] is something I want to get sorted. [Between the Ashes and India] is a good time to have some serious in-depth conversations about what is potentially something I could do where I can bowl without worrying about my knee.”
Watch the fifth Ashes Test, from The Kia Oval, live on Sky Sports Cricket from Thursday. Coverage starts at 10am ahead of the first ball at 11am. You can also follow over-by-over commentary and video clips via our blog on skysports.com and the Sky Sports App.
